86 days in the US: Last day with Ross

Yesterday we spent the afternoon with Ross again. Upon learning that we are both fascinated by airplanes, he suggested we go check out a army airfield together some day -- and yesterday he had the day off and could pick us up and show us around.

So at 2 pm he showed up outside our door, and off we went. The process of actually entering the base, once we got there, turned out to be a little more complicated than anticipated. There is a visitor center that all non-military persons have to go through before entering the base, and a few days in advance Ross had stopped by to inquire what exactly he (as an army employee) needed to do to be able to show two foreign friends around on the base. All that was needed, he was told, was our passport and our VISA (Visa Waiver documents in our case).

Well, the gentlemen who assisted us yesterday seemed highly nervous and clearly didn't have much of an idea of what to do with these two foreigners suddenly appearing before him. He had a wild-eyed look about him, was breathing heavily, and explained to us with some despair that the computers were down. Then he started the process of going back and forth between his desk and the back room, fetching papers, checking stuff. Finally he asked to see our passports. Then he asked us [addressing Thorsten as Mister Schilling, though not even attempting to pronounce my name]our eye colour, hair colour, height and weight in the Imperial system (Ross joked, "what's blue in Imperial?"). In the picture you can see that we are correctly listed as "non-Hispanic whites," though in the US Thorsten seems to have brown hair and I weight about 150lb (68 kg).

Finally we were let go, and could drive through the checkpoint. I tried to look as a big as possible. to match my American description.

Ross took us to an outdoor exhibition (a museum of sorts) of old airplanes that lay right next to a functioning airfield. So not only did we get to see a lot of old airplanes, but we got to watch a few carrier planes land and take off pretty close to where we were standing.

After looking at old planes, Ross drove us to another exhibition -- this time of old tanks, arms and army vehicles. Funnily enough there was an old Easter German car -- looking forlorn and broken -- parked right outside the exhibition.

By the time we were done looking at tanks etc. it was already pretty late. We had a reservation to go eat in the city at 18.30, so we started heading back. On the way, however, Ross stopped at a bone fide German delikatessen hidden away in a new box-like building among the other, new box-like buildings somewhere in the sprawling landscape lining the highway.

The store was run by little old German ladies who were completely unsurprised by Thorsten addressing them in German. Guess the store must be popular among expats. They had quite the selection of German chocolates, beer, dried goods, fish products, cheeses and fresh and cured meats -- and even a bakery section selling fresh bread. Thorsten bought some Landjägersausages and a Vitamalz (malt beer), and a bag of Jamaica-Rum Eier (chocolate eggs with rum) for me. Ross picked up some bread and a beer recommended by Thorsten.

Finally we ended up at the fancy pan-Asian (or whatever it is) restaurant where Thorsten and I had already had dinner with my parents and Peter and his wife. The food was very good, and although the place looks pretty sophisticated, it is actually quite affordable -- at least by Norwegian standards.

We had another delectable dinner there, and finally thanked Ross for having been such an excellent guide and a good friend to us. Taking advantage of his job (he can fly pretty much anywhere he wants for free), he is leaving for a well-deserved long trip in Asia on Monday after months of hard work. He hopes to make it to Europe by April -- and again we encouraged him to come to Bergen so that we can return the favour, or even meet up with us in Germany when we go there in May.